Wow! What a surprise! Hildegard lernt fliegen is a band led by singer/composer Andreas Schaerers. Singer, group, and music are all reminiscent of Friendly Rich & The Lollipop People: same blend of circus music, klezmer, skronk, ’80-‘90s creative rock (the RecRec and Ambiances Magnétiques stables). VERY convincing. Powerful singing, strong arrangements, creative solos. And a cover/booklet drawn by Peter Baeder, who had done such a great job on No Secrets in the Family’s Kleinzeit (yes, I actually recognized his style instantly). And considering how disappointing Friendly Rich’s latest CD is (who actually needed yet another rereading of Pictures at an Exhibition?), this Swiss platter is more than welcome!-- After listening a second time today, I want to tone down the comparison with Friendly Rich: Schaerers’s voice is much smoother and sensual than Rich’s, and the music can grow very quiet at times.[Below: One of those quieter tracks, “A Tale from the Forest,” found on the band’s website.]

The Cuneiform label sure had a surprising batch of releases this Fall (see also my comment on Ergo). However, I was thrilled to learn that the notable label was releasing the second CD by Jason Adasiewicz’s ensemble. In Chicago, this vibes player is putting his instrument back on the jazz map. His quintet is talent-heavy (Josh Berman, trumpet; Aram Shelton, sax; Jasno Roebke, bass; Frank Rosaly, drums), and his compositions are loaded with evocative themes. Obviously, the vibraphone is the star of the show, but there are also some beautiful exchanges between horns. Adasiewicz is not a particularly innovative composer, but his pieces carry his instrument well, and his playing on saif instrument is definitely worthy of your attention.[Below: The track “Hide”, found on Cuneiform’s website.]

Mai Lev is a young Israeli singer. Her solo debut delivers a string of quirky orchestrated songs. Said orchestrations often remind me of what Van Dyke Parks did for Joanna Newsom (incidentally, the press release mentions that Parks has become a fan of Mai Lev and that they should be working together soon…). There’s some Kate Bush in here, and some of that light French chantuse ouch too. It’s not all good, with two or three tracks being downright trite, but the album works out pretty well as a whole, especially the first four or five songs, where you could be tricked to think you stumbled back into Björk’s first, seen through Newsom’s prism… or something like that. Keep an eye on her.

I have heard part of this material at Gong’s live set at NEARFest 2009. And I had liked it back then, and was looking forward to the new studio album. And even though I knew what to expect, I’m still surpried by the quality of this Gong nouveau: the writing, the performances, the production – I’m pleased by every aspect of it. I’ll go as far as saying that this is Gong’s best studio album since the classic tetralogy. Firmly rooted in the band’s heritage (some well-known themes pop up as variations, a strategy Daevid Allen has been using since… Camembert électrique!), 2032 moves forward, integrating a modern sound and developing further the story of the Pothead Pixies – 2032 is the year they plan to come back on Earth, as stated in the original liner notes to Angel’s Egg. This space rock is not afraid of ridicule, which it wears well… just like I do! “Would you like some tea?”